Being able to use high quality equipment not only will enhance your performance but make you feel good. There is nothing worse than not being able to perform at your best because of faulty equipment. A factor that is out of your control.
It is well known that Japanese produced products hold high standards. Such products include baseball gloves. The baseball gloves of Japanese brands have remained reliable and comfortable throughout the years.
Here are the best Japanese baseball glove brands we found.
Top Japanese Baseball Glove Brands
1.Mizuno
Mizuno was established in 1906 by Rihachi and Rizo Mizuno. This brand has been around for so long that it has seen the major changes of baseball equipment and the sport.
As they expended, they began getting into production of other sporting equipment such as golf, volleyball, swimming, and other fitness actives. Mizuno has become a Japanese sports brand that produces professional level equipment including professional baseball gloves and balls. Along with partnering with companies such as Toyota and more.
The baseball gloves that this company produces are a wide variety of professional level gloves made with premium leather. They offer infield, outfield, catcher, and other position specific gloves along with standard professional gloves. Colors range from black, brown, grey, to the traditional Japanese red color.
The price range for most of their gloves are steep but they offer cheaper options. Gloves range around $200 to $400 for a glove.
One of their best products is the classic pro soft glove which is priced at $200. It is a good price for the glove and can be used for beginners to professionals. Another of their top products is the pro select glove series. Those gloves are made with US steer hide and are comfortable.
This series comes at a higher price point averaging around $265.
Pros
- Cheaper options
- High quality products
- Works on sustainability
- Various options to choose from
- Older company that has been a part of innovation of baseball
Cons
- Can be too expensive
- May be hard to choose one
2.SSK
Kyozo Sasaki founded SSK in Kyoto, Japan. In 1980, SSK American Inc. was created in order to create worldwide distribution for SSK. Their high-quality products have been used for major events around the world.
From being the supplier for umpire gear in the 1996 Olympics to the supplier for baseballs in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This baseball brand has prided itself on innovation and their tech such as their innovated baseball gloves. In order to create better products, they listen to what professional athletes have to say.
SSK produces gloves for just about everyone. Sizes range from 11.25 inches all the way up to 30 inches. There are seven different types of webs to choose from. Gloves for both left and righties.
A bonus that SSK offers is that there are so many colors to choose from. Some of those colors are gold, maroon, orange, green, etc. Like, Mizuno they also offer gloves for different positions on the field.
However, SSK is more expensive than Mizuno when it comes to professional gloves. They range between $100 to $350 or more. A few of their best lines of gloves would be the SSK black line which are made for professionals and the SSK white line that are cheaper but still offer great performance. SSK gloves can be found anywhere, from Walmart to Amazon.
Pros
- High quality
- Easy to find gloves
- Can be more expensive
- Multiple sizes to choose from
- Products used in the Olympics
- Creating baseball products for a long time
Cons
- Can be hard to choose which is right for you
- More expensive for professional level equipment
3.Zett
Zett is another Japanese baseball glove brand that has been around since the 1900s. These gloves are said to be a secret among baseball players. These gloves are manufactured in Taiwan along with their other baseball products. Zett can be found worn by professional Japanese players and are popular in the Eastern hemisphere.
These gloves are made of US steerhide and are designed for professionals. The way they are designed are supposed to be light. Enabling a player to catch better and to throw the ball quicker. They design gloves for positions and offer a few different colors.
There is blue, black, and a lot of red gloves. Zett does not appear to have its own website, but products can be found on eBay or other websites. Prices for these gloves range around $180 to $300 or more.
Reviews of their gloves are that they start out stiff and that getting the more expensive ones are worth it. Cheaper gloves from this brand are not as worth it.
Pros
- Cheaper options
- Made with US steerhide
- Can find on multiple websites
- Older Japanese baseball glove brand
Cons
- Don’t have established website
- Quality and price go hand in hand
- Less expensive gloves not worth the money
4.Worldpegasus
Founded in 1965, Worldpegasus is among the older baseball glove brands in Japan. Along with gloves they sell apparel, bags, bats, and more. Their gloves are created with the players in mind. They believe that each glove binds with its player and is different from one another even though it may be made the same as others.
Some of the gloves offered are in collaboration with baseball players. The gloves are thoroughly explained on their website.
The gloves they produce come at different levels. Field Master is a collection of gloves made for softball or hardball and is for leisure or beginners. Grand Devil is a collection of gloves for those who are transitioning into high school.
These too are for softball and hardball. Grand Pegasus is a more top tier collection for those going into the college or professional level. Kuwata Masumi is the professional Japanese baseball player they have a collaboration with. You can special order a glove similar to what he uses. These top-quality gloves come at a higher price. Ranging from $250 to $500.
Pros
- Rated highly
- Gloves for all levels
- Keeps players in mind
- Produced with high quality materials
- Collaboration with professional baseball player
Cons
- Very expensive
5.Xanax Baseball
Xanax baseball was established in 1980 in Japan. They have a long history of professional Japanese player using their equipment on national television in Japan. Products they offer include baseball gloves, equipment, apparel, and more.
Their gloves are made from steer leather and black leather. Focusing on tradition and attention to detail in each glove. The gloves are lightweight, durable, and will help a player perform better.
Their gloves range for beginners to professionals. Glove colors from this brand are different from other brands. They offer multicolored gloves. Some combinations are green and red while others are blue and orange.
They do offer standard colored gloves as well such as brown or black. This brands pricing is similar to Worldpegasus. Cheaper gloves are $200 while more expensive ones are $500. Xanax baseball gloves are harder to find but do sell on Ebay.
Pros
- Cheaper options
- High quality gloves
- Older Japanese baseball brand
- Sell gloves for beginners and professionals
Cons
- Harder to find
- Can be expensive
How to Choose the Best Japanese Baseball Glove Brand
Before deciding which brand to choose you should consider certain aspects. Knowing your level or where you are playing, from a recreational league to college will help you decide if you need to spend more on a glove or less. Other characteristics to consider when purchasing a baseball glove is if you are right or left handed, which position you play, your size, the webbing, and price.
Overall, the glove you choose should be comfortable for you and should make you feel that you are performing well.
Position
Which position you are playing can determine which glove you need to buy. If you do not know what is best for you then getting a versatile one would be best. The only position that you for sure need a different glove is if you are playing catcher instead of being out in the field.
Size
Considering which size you need is also an important aspect. Mainly so that the glove fits your hand properly. Brands such as SSK and Mizuno offer multiple sizes. SSK offers the largest variety of sizes ranging up to 30 inches. If you need a much bigger size, SSK would be a good brand to look at.
Webbing
Depending on which position you play, you may want closed or open webbing on the glove. Webbing is the part on a glove between the thumb and the index finger. Pitchers and infielders prefer closed webbing. For outfield it is more of personal preference.
Price
Price range is something that affects the glove you get. A cheaper glove will be of lower quality while a more expensive glove will be of higher quality. Although getting a high-quality glove as a beginner may not be a good option unless you plan to play for a long time. Regardless of your price range, choosing from these brands should put your mind as ease since even the cheaper options are still high quality.